Bedgebury National Pinetum & Forest - anyone been?

[martini]

We are thinking of going there this weekend with DCs - 4 & 2.

What's it like?

It has always been lovely (although you have to like conifers ) IMO, but we have not been since they apparently opened a brilliant-sounding woodland play area.

It was great. Play area is outstanding including 12 person rope swing, shipwrecks & spiders webs all set in lovely woodland (not pine!). Loads of buggy friendly forest walks. Bike hire for older kids. Good cafe with lovely fresh kids food incouding homemade houmus. Pinetum also interesting.

Only 1.5hrs in car from S London

They have improved the catering too then (grumpy old Forest Enterprise geezer in a trailer selling ice-creams last time we were there!)
We went there a lot when I was a child/teen and took ds a couple of years ago. Really must go back from the sound of things!
Thanks, glad you had such a nice time.

And it's only £5 to park the car all day.

We last went in the summer and they were about to buy a motorised wheelchair/car thing (?!) to hire out and which could manage all the paths.

And you can take dogs, only on leads and not in the play areas.

And just down the road is Bewl Water - whopping great big lake, boat rides, visitor centre but smaller play area.